Strategic Communication
- Degree Type Bachelor of Arts
- Department Journalism and Mass Communications
- Academic Division The College
- Offerings Major Mass Communications minor
As the only accredited journalism and mass communications department in a small, highly selective, nationally ranked liberal arts college, we are committed not only to broadening minds, but also to inculcating habits of honor, careful analysis, reasoned discourse and excellent writing in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic culture.
Strategic Communication
The strategic communication major prepares students for a variety of career paths in persuasive communication, notably public relations.
Majors learn to wield deliberate and purposeful communication on behalf of any number of entities, such as businesses and nonprofits, to reach particular audiences through creative messages and tactics, achieving specific outcomes.
Rigorous coursework in theory and practice challenges students to interpret, adapt to and thrive in an ever-changing landscape of mediated, organizational and interpersonal communication.
In a hands-on, collaborative environment, majors become proficient in writing, visual storytelling and public speaking. They learn legal and ethical principles, applying them to a multitude of real-world scenarios. Students develop and refine research and evaluation skills to ready themselves for thought leadership. They also continually discover post-graduation opportunities internal and external to organizations across the public, private and social sectors.
As a strategic communication major, students:
- Complete dynamic internships to gain valuable, professional experience
- Build a portfolio to brand and showcase personal creative and strategic work
- Work with a team to develop and launch an original campaign for a community client
- Grow alongside colleagues of diverse backgrounds and interests.
Strategic communication faculty with extensive academic and professional experience teach engaging yet demanding coursework through models that mirror modern workplaces.
Aligned with W&L’s liberal arts foundation, the major encourages students to take coursework in advertising, marketing, public health, environmental studies, politics, philosophy, cognitive and behavioral science and more to embolden ones skillset and critical thinking.
Opportunities
Our graduates do public relations, advertising and marketing at recognized firms, including Prosek Partners, Jackson Spalding, and DDB Healthcare. Graduates put accumulated knowledge and abilities to the test every day in their careers, both domestically and internationally.
News
Munck has pursued her filmmaking passion through class projects, summer research and the Film Society Club.
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
The Reynolds Visiting Assistant Professor of Strategic Communications explores the role of laughter in cross-cultural virtual settings.
W&L’s student-run social media team arrived this fall ready to explore multiple social media platforms and showcase the vibrance of the Fall Term.
Veronika Kolosova ’25 has explored the liberal arts experience at W&L through campus involvement and an interdisciplinary approach to her studies.
Eliza Spaht ’26 took a course on the economics of winemaking with the Council on International Educational Exchange’s Business and Culture program in Barcelona, Spain.
Charlotte Dross ’23 is working in public relations as a postgraduate intern at Jackson Spalding.
Bridget Osas ’25 is researching behavioral impacts on the development of metabolic syndromes like obesity.
Spanfeller will be applying her studies in sociology and strategic communication to her new role as an editorial assistant for Women’s Health magazine.
De Maria, a longtime professor and manager of the university’s radio station and television studio, was a beloved mentor to students and a cherished colleague and friend to many in the university community.
Cox is an award-winning historian and a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians.
Professor Aly Colón published an article describing the best practices for consuming news in The Conversation.
Meet the Faculty
At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Mark Coddington
Department Head and Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
Coddington teaches courses on digital journalism, media bias, social media and reporting. His research interests include media sociology, online news production, networked and participatory journalism, and social media.
Adedayo (Dayo) Abah
Provost Faculty Fellow and Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
- P: 540-458-8077
- E: abahd@wlu.edu
Abah teaches courses on communications law, news media, crisis communication, and international communication. Her research areas include online anonymous speech, international defamation law, copyright issues, Nollywood in African cinema, women and Nollywood, religion and the media, and immigrant media use.
L. Ady Dewey
Reynolds Visiting Assistant Professor of Strategic Communication
- P: 540-458-4298
- E: adewey@wlu.edu
Kevin Finch
Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
- P: 540-458-8218
- E: finchk@wlu.edu
Finch teaches broadcast producing, announcing and documentaries. He was a large market TV news director who also covered 9/11 in Washington, the Senate post-impeachment vote on President Clinton and the Atlanta Olympics bombing.
Toni Locy
Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
- P: 540-458-8434
- E: locyt@wlu.edu
Locy teaches courses on covering the courts and law, news writing, in-depth reporting, multimedia storytelling design and sports journalism. She was previously a journalist for 25 years, covering primarily the federal court system.
Jared Macary
Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
- P: 540-458-8240
- E: jmacary@wlu.edu
Alecia Swasy
Donald W. Reynolds Professor of Business Journalism
- P: 540-458-8436
- E: swasya@wlu.edu
Swasy teaches courses on business and economic reporting, media management and entrepreneurship. She previously worked as a reporter and editor for the Wall Street Journal and Tampa Bay Times. She is the author of four books.
Patrick Walters
Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications
- P: 540-458-8865
- E: pwalters@wlu.edu